In the half century since the invention of the laser, its output has grown from millijoules to megajoules and from milliwatts to petawatts. The next generation of such lasers, currently under construction or design in Europe, Japan, and the United States, is expected to achieve fusion ignition of the deuterium-tritium pellets on which the laser beams impinge, producing temperatures and densities well in excess of their values at the core of the sun and neutron densities for a short time that are far beyond those of any other terrestrial source. This effort may have an obvious effect on the global energy situation. However, in the space and time of our universe, these conditions have existed only in the Big Bang, the cores of massive stars, and nuclear weapons; they will soon be produced in the targets of the next generation of high-powered lasers. Thus, these facilities will enable a wide variety of heretofore impossible experiments in basic science. Speakers review the overall concepts behind laser fusion, then describe the fusion ignition efforts in Europe, the United States, and Japan, and highlight some of the high-energy-density science opportunities that will be enabled by the development of these high-powered lasers. The invited speakers represent many of the world’s major players in the worldwide fusion effort.

John Lindl, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA

Basics of Inertial Confinement Fusion

Robert McCrory, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

OMEGA Extended Performance Laser System Project

Edward Moses, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA

National Ignition Facility: Ushering in a New Era for Experimental Science